Farmer fined over pollution

A farmer was fined £500 at Armagh Magistrates’ Court after pollution caused to a waterway.

William Houston Dillon, Crewmore Road, Poyntzpass, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On February 6 2014, a water quality inspector acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) inspected a waterway at Crewbeg Road, Poyntzpass and observed it to be grossly polluted with thick growths of sewage fungus covering the bed of the waterway.

The polluting discharge was traced to farm premises owned by Mr Dillon. The length of waterway impacted by the discharge was in excess of 900 metres.

Samples taken at the time confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life.